POP-CULTURE COLUMN: The Pitt Is Eating At My Gut
By Dan Brown I gotta stop watching The Pitt. The HBO Max medical drama about a chaotic ER in Pittsburgh is stressing me out. Now in its second season, the Pitt is an unrelenting show from the beginning of every episode to the final minutes. My life is already stressful enough without having to keep track of all the storylines and characters. I have two jobs, a wife, two dogs, two cats. I have enough going on in my life without the extra pressure of not knowing if the ER team, led by Noah Wyle’s Dr. Robby, is going to make it through the day. Each hour of the show represents an hour of a shift. In the first season, the shift was unfolding like any other day when a mass shooting shook the city, flooding the hospital with wounded patients. In the current season, the major complication is how a ransomware attack means the doctors, nurses, and specialists on duty must do their jobs without the help of computers. The problem for me is that the show is so damn compelling. When the next instalment drops, I know right now it’ll be hard for me to resist watching. I guess I want to see how Wyle and his co-stars deal with the patients that wind up needing emergency care. It’s called competence p*rn – how fans get off on seeing characters who are professionals rise to an occasion beyond their understanding by improvising. The same fetish is also powering the stellar box-office numbers for Project Hail Mary in theatres right now. People love watching Ryan Gosling get stuff done on the big screen. Some human beings are apparently turned on by people who are really good at their jobs. I’m one of those suckers. I do feel a sense of relief when a dying patient is saved on the Pitt. Or when a student doctor pulls a solution out of their butt – the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center is a teaching hospital, a neat narrative trick that allows readers to understand what the medical team is up against in each individual case as the team talks out possible treatments. But it’s an ordeal to watch. The Pitt gets on my nerves in a way few TV shows ever have. When I was a young TV watcher in the 1980s, there was another series that had a similar effect, the cop drama Hill Street Blues. It was gritty and so realistic for its time. That was the first television offering to make me grind my teeth in the same way. Each episode of Hill Street Blues also started with the beginning of a typical shift and followed the characters through their long day. I credit the cast of the Pitt for grabbing my attention. The emotional give-and-take between head nurse Dana Evans (Katherine LaNasa) and Dr. Robby is the heart of this second season. Keeping up such a hectic pace, it’s easy to see how the folks working in this particular ER would get burnt out quickly. And there are all kinds of subplots. One doc is a recovering addict. Another was recently homeless. Another may be about to do self-harm, which means I gotta see if she goes through with it. Who am I kidding? I know I likely won’t change my viewing habits. The Pitt is just too damn good. Dan Brown has covered pop culture for more than 33 years as a journalist and also moderates L.A. Mood’s monthly graphic-novel group.
GRAPHIC-NOVEL COLUMN: Some No. 1s Are Different Than Others
By Dan Brown I call it the Spinner Rack of Your Dreams. It’s a second-hand comic rack that sits at home in my basement, which I have dubbed not the Man Cave, but the Dan Cave. My wife spraypainted it silver before I set the display up. It looks fantastic, but still lacks a topper – you know, the metal box that has “Hey kids! Comics!” painted on the sides. For the last several years I’ve been stocking it with the No. 1 issues that come into my comic collection. Why do I have a spinner rack in my basement? Because it makes the space feel like a comic store, and comic stores are my happy place. Many times when I’m downstairs I will add a comic or two to the issues on display, which I rotate in and out of the most prominent spot at the front of each individual plastic display case. Reflecting my tastes, two sides are devoted to Marvel No. 1s, one to DC debut issues and one to comics from independent publishers like Dark Horse, Eclipse, Image, and Pacific Comics. Most of the books are from the 1970s and 1980s. You see, I don’t collect old comics for their value, but the way they make me feel like a kid again. Stored on the rack are a few, I suppose, that are worth something. There’s a Moon Knight No. 1 from 1980. The copy of Black Panther No. 1 I have likely went up in value after the first Marvel movie of the same name came out. There’s Ms. Marvel, Nova and Spider-Woman, as well as Red Sonja. The most-represented comic creator is Jacky Kirby, who did the No. 1 covers for titles like the Eternals, Destroyer Duck, Kamandi, and Sandman. I have the Todd McFarlane-drawn Spider-Man No. 1, which I include on the display as a joke – after Marvel flooded the market in 1990 with that book, the issue plunged in value to the point of worthlessness. There are sentimental favourites, like my copy of Alpha Flight, Marvel’s Canadian superhero team. Also by John Byrne, one of my favourite artist/writers, is Doomsday+1 No. 1 from Charlton. And yes, I have the requisite copy of Watchmen No. 1 I have No. 1s of both the Savage She-Hulk and the Sensational She-Hulk. I’ve got the Thing No. 1 and Marvel Two-in-One No. 1, Ben Grimm being my favourite superhero. I don’t have to tell diehard comic fans how collectors fall into different categories. Some collect to make money, even if comics aren’t a surefire way to get a good return on investment. Some don’t care about the condition of their comics, they want to read them over and over. Some people love them as objets d’art. I probably fall into that category. I also realize, one No. 1 is not the same as another. They were not all created equal. I hate how Marvel, I guess to attract speculators, has been putting out a new No. 1 anytime a different creative team takes over a long-running title. Maybe it makes for a slight sales bump, but they are also devaluing the currency of all No. 1s since the upshot is that inaugural issues are becoming ubiquitous. In any given month, the so-called House of Ideas puts out a truckload of No. 1s, which disturbs the purist in me. Things really were different when I was young. Also, let’s not forget that a No. 1 from back in the day is usually not the best issue from that series, nor does it always contain the origin story of the title character. In Captain Canuck No. 1, for instance, you won’t find any mention of Tom Evans gaining the strength of two ordinary men after he was blasted with an alien ray because that detail wasn’t revealed until he had a few adventures under his belt. But as long as it has a No. 1 on the front, it’s fair game for the Spinner Rack of Your Dreams! I don’t make the rules . . . oh, wait, yes I do. Would love to hear your take. What’s your favourite No. 1? And while you’re at it, let me know the reasons why YOU collect comic books! Dan Brown has covered pop culture for more than 33 years as a journalist and also moderates L.A. Mood’s monthly graphic-novel group.
What Would Captain Kirk Do?
By Dan Brown Does Captain Kirk believe in free speech, or would he suppress hateful speech to make sure positivity prevails? That question has been running through my mind this week after Paramount + and CBS Studios announced they are cancelling the newest Star Trek series, Starfleet Academy. The show was savaged by older fans who found it too “woke.” (Full disclosure: I have seen only a few clips from the first season, so I don’t have an opinion on it, which doesn’t matter to the discussion at hand.) Starfleet Academy had its season finale on March 12 after debuting in January. A second season is already in the can, so its sophomore instalment will be its last, whenever it airs. “Across its 10-episode first season, it has failed to rank on the Nielsen Top 10 streaming viewership charts,” Variety reported. So Starfleet Academy was killed in the cradle. And fans have been reacting all week. Some hated the program for its apparent progressive politics. Some loved it for that same reason. Others argued the series hadn’t even found its voice yet. I do know it features many actors I love, like Holly Hunter, Paul Giamatti and Tatiana Maslany. I belong to a few Star Trek fan groups on Facebook and I’ve seen fans sounding off in the last few days. As you might expect, they have strong opinions. On one particular page, which I’m not going to identify, fans were warned by the admins that hateful comments about the cancelled series wouldn’t be tolerated, nor would trolling or malicious celebrations of Starfleet Academy’s demise. They warned members to keep it civil or their toxic comments would be deleted, and repeat offenders would be banned from participating. Which, of course, set off a crapstorm. Many members did not appreciate being told what tone of voice they should use. Some took the caution as their cue to leave the group. In subsequent posts, the admins tried to clarify the restrictions they were imposing, but the damage had already been done. I noticed one sentiment cropped up several times in the comments: Preventing people from commenting freely was not a very Star Trek thing to do, some argued. In fact, it runs counter to the spirit at the core of the Gene Roddenberry-created franchise, they said. Me, I was taken aback by the preemptive strike on possible Starfleet Academy bashing. And since then, I’ve been turning it over in my mind. What’s better for a fan group: To let passionate enthusiasts have their say without placing any limits on their speech, or to weed out divisive comments so that it’s a positive space? What would Captain Kirk say, if he was in charge of this Facebook group, or in charge of the entire internet? Because it's a much bigger issue. I like to think Kirk, the Enterprise captain I grew up watching, would lead by example, but wouldn’t outright censor anybody. Roddenberry himself didn’t live long enough to see the internet flower into the global communications hub it is today. But he certainly understood what Star Trek meant to him. Here’s an oft-quoted statement the Great Bird of the Galaxy made about his intent in creating the show: “Star Trek was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms . . . If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, to take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind, here on this planet, then we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there.” So if you’re trying to create a utopia, is it better to let public discourse flow freely, or to weed out toxicity? I know what William Shatner (as opposed to the character he played) would do: He’d find a way to monetize the debate. But how do you think Kirk would respond? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Dan Brown has covered pop culture for more than 33 years as a journalist and also moderates L.A. Mood’s monthly graphic-novel group.
GRAPHIC NOVEL COLUMN: Spring mini-reviews
By Dan Brown It’s that time again . . . when I give you the lowdown on the comics I’ve been reading lately. Here, in no particular order, are brief reviews of a few of the titles I’ve picked up recently from the L.A. Mood new-releases shelf. As always, there's no logic to my choices, these ones just caught my fancy. Fantastic Four No. 7 and 8: The creative team of writer Ryan North and penciller Humberto Ramos has hit its stride. The superhero foursome is forced to leave Earth after receiving a cryptic message from Galactus about Sue Storm. At the end of issue No. 8, they discover an alternative-reality Invisible Woman who is powerful enough to defeat the World Devourer on her own. “You can call me the Invincible Woman,” the baddie says, “I’ve been killing Galactus.” North and Ramos know just when to hit the accelerator, and when to lay off. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles no. 15: I just love the variant portrait cover of this IDW Comic, which features a red-eyed Splinter, mentor to the young martial artists and my favourite Turtles character. It’s drawn by Ben Bishop and Kevin Eastman. If you’re a fan of Gene Luen Yang, sometime Superman writer, you’ll want to check this series out! Feral No. 13: Truly suspenseful tale about a group of cats trying to survive an apocalypse. In this issue, they plan to break into a Pet City Supercenter, which has all the food and treats to sustain them. The problem: It’s guarded by angry, sick dogs. Love the art from Trish Forstner and Tone Rodriguez. An Image joint. X-Men Annual No. 1: To give you some sense of how long it’s been since I picked up an X-Men book, I did not know Phoenix is again a member of the team. This is a self-reflexive story that reminds readers they are looking at a comic book. “We aren’t flesh and blood right now . . . we’re ideas,“ Jean Grey tells Wolverine when the pair travel to a sketchy “conceptual space” outside reality. X-Men United No. 1: The X-Men get together to start training young mutants again. I like this book’s spunky version of Kitty Pryde, as written by Eve L. Ewing and drawn by Tiago Palma. As a reminder of how far things have come since the Krakoa storyline, mentor Wolverine reminds his charges, “You’ve got one body.” Love that Cerebro is now the Empathy Engine. Logan: Black, White and Blood No. 3: Contains three self-contained untold stories of Wolverine’s past. There’s a horror Western, a civil-rights thriller, and a story in which he takes on Big Pharma! Wolverine: Weapons of Armageddon No. 1: Written by Chip Zdarsky (who seems to be everywhere these days), it shows the Canadian mutant tracking down someone who might be a younger version of himself! Teases a showdown with Nuke, the super-soldier introduced in the pages of Daredevil all those decades ago. Thundarr the Barbarian No. 1 and 2: Published by Dynamite, this is the comic that fans of the Steve Gerber-created character deserve! The setting is deliberately reminiscent of Jack Kirby’s animation designs from the 1980s Saturday-morning series. Writer Jason Aaron clearly put a lot of thought into making the post-apocalyptic world of Thundarr make sense. And yes, Ookla the Mok and Princess Ariel are at Thundarr’s side. Big Rig No. 1: This Vault comic is being sold as coming from the mind of Post Malone (the singer guy). He wrote it with Adrian Wassel. It’s frenetic and takes place in a landscape where demons roam the Earth. I liked the lush art by Nathan Gooden. Lady Mechanika No. 1: Published by Image Comics (the series actually started with Issue 0). Steampunk horror is not really my thing, so I’m not the target audience. More than just the title character – who is searching for her creator – have mechanical limbs. Written and drawn by Joe Benitez. The Dark Knight Returns: This facsimile release reprints the Frank Miller classic from 40 years ago that thrilled comic fans and changed the industry forever. Comes in regular and foil versions, as well as with a variant cover by Jim Lee showing a weary Bats sitting in the tank version of the Batmobile. What have you been reading lately? Are there any comics you would like to recommend – possibly ones that got you through the winter? Let me know in the comments! Dan Brown has covered pop culture for more than three decades as a journalist and also moderates L.A. Mood’s monthly graphic-novel group.
POP CULTURE: The Oscars Recognize Drew Struzan
By Dan Brown Drew Struzan’s name cropped up at the Oscars on Sunday. He’s a guy who never got a nomination in his 78 years, but surely deserved an award for his lifetime of service to Hollywood. Struzan – who was mentioned during the ever-expanding In Memoriam segment – defined movie imagery for a generation of film fans like me, even though he never made or appeared in a motion picture himself. He died last October in Pasadena. We may never see another cinema artist who has as vast an influence as Struzan did. If you grew up geeky in the 1970s or 1980s, you knew his work — even if you had never met him or didn’t know what he looked like. He was billed at the Academy Awards telecast as a poster artist, which doesn’t sit well with diehard movie enthusiasts who considered him a visionary genius. As a kid, I thought the right word to describe his work was “photorealistic,” but his trademark style was actually the result of airbrushing, which was much in vogue in the 1970s. Especially if you owned a Chevy van. Perhaps the first work of his I came across wasn’t on a poster, but the cover of a paperback edition of Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The publisher took Struzan art from Blade Runner and used it as the front, since the Dick novel was the source material for Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi feature. I remember looking at that cover, eyeing the likeness of Harrison Ford closely, and thinking, “This can’t be a drawing or a painting, it’s too detailed. This must be a photo.” That was my first awareness of Drew Struzan. I was 13 years old. I was already in love with movies, and movie posters. Struzan began his career with one-sheets for such drive-in fare as Empire of the Ants and Food of the Gods, then caught a lucky break helping a fellow artist with a poster to announce the re-release in 1978 of Star Wars. The result of their collaboration was a meta-poster: The painted composition looks like an old circus poster plastered on the plywood fence around a construction site. It was also the beginning of his long partnership with George Lucas. Even after Struzan ended his career, he would come out of retirement to help the Star Wars creator with art for such movies as The Phantom Menace. His other posters included E.T.: The Extraterrestrial, Back to the Future, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Risky Business, Coming to America, the Goonies and the Muppet Movie. He could produce intricately crafted images, and he could so on a tight deadline: He painted the poster for John Carpenter’s The Thing remake literally overnight. For a generation of geeks like yours truly, Struzan’s posters defined the look of motion pictures. He brought aliens, adventurers, weirdos, muppets and Tom Cruise to life when young people weren’t sitting in a theatre. To understand his influence, you have to remember the context he was working in: VCRs were scarce back then, so you could see movies only in theatres, or occasionally on network TV. Posters were the main representation in the public’s mind of any given film because trailers weren’t as omnipresent as they are now. We had no YouTube to watch them on. Believe it or not, there was a time when people decided to see one film over another based solely on the posters outside the theatre, and Struzan deserves a golden statuette simply for the fact he sold countless movie tickets in his decades-long career. (For all I know, the Oscar folks may have tried to give him an honorary Oscar, but his family turned them down; Struzan suffered from Alzheimer’s in his later years.) Drew Struzan was one of the all-time greats, and is a personal favourite of mine, along with Nick Cardy. We may never see Struzan’s like again. All these decades later, I’m amazed Hollywood is still using movie posters to advertise their products. The artistry of posters persists, but this form of art could be living on borrowed time, along with movie houses themselves. We can only hope future generations of film fans recognize the artistry that’s involved, and keep demanding posters rendered exclusively by human hands. Our responsibility is to help educate those future geeks, making sure the names of creators like Drew Struzan don’t pass entirely from the collective memory. Dan Brown has covered pop culture for more than 33 years as a journalist and also moderates L.A. Mood’s monthly graphic-novel group.
Goon References Please GNG
By Dan Brown SPOILER WARNING: This column contains plot details about Eric Powell’s Goon, so if you value surprise, do not continue reading. Stop now! The L.A. Mood Graphic-Novel Group convened on Saturday, March 14. Here’s a brief account of our discussion. The book: The Goon: Bunch of Old Crap Volume 1, which collects the character’s earliest stories. The discussion: Most of us appreciated the Goon, even if it wasn’t really our thing. Me, I loved it. I knew little about the Goon before this. I had a vague awareness of the long-running comic, and its supernatural flavour, but I had not actually read any of the his adventures. What can I say? Powell’s heedless spirit, which imbues the book with a unique energy, bowled me over. The collection was pitched by GNG member and L.A. Mood employee Matt. Much of our discussion centred around the book’s many references to the original source material that fired Powell’s imagination. For those who are new to the antihero, the Goon’s first issue came out in 1999. I found it to be a blend of ingredients that I have not seen in any other comics. One of Powell’s biggest inspirations is clearly Mad Magazine. You can feel the fun, anything-goes, slightly gross vibe in every panel. The protagonist – who looks like a giant boxer of old – is a former circus worker who becomes an enforcer for a mob boss. The twist, which comes fairly early in the chronology of the series, is the mob boss doesn’t exist – the Goon is himself the brains of the operation. He is accompanied by his homicidal sidekick Franky, who has eyes that lack pupils. Shades of Little Orphan Annie. It takes place on Lonely Street in a burg that is reminiscent of Central City, home to Will Eisner’s Spirit. The bane of the Goon’s existence are the zombies that keep popping up, only to be dispatched by his fist or a blast from a revolver. There are many other monsters rampaging about, like the sea creatures that evoke H.P. Lovecraft. There’s even a gigantic lizard-type baddie created by Powell as a way to express his love for such rubber-monster movies as Godzilla. Powell was also clearly influenced by Jack Kirby. The Goon often appears in action-packed spreads that unfold over two pages. Another source is the films noir of the 1940s. Franky is always seen in the duo's bar hangout trying to romance one dame or another. Even better, it’s so much fun to watch Powell cycle through so many different styles of illustrating. He never stops evolving. And for fans of old-school comics like yours truly, the throwback sound effects are a delight: Klang! Slap! Krash! Pow! I was in my glory. There are several more omnibus volumes of the Goon to enjoy, and I intend to get all of them. L.A. Mood’s Graphic-Novel Group meets the second Saturday of each month. Next month’s selection is from London comic creators Scott Wojcik and Eric Olcsvary, we are reading issues 1 and 2 of their Monster of the Abyss series. The group is set to meet next on Saturday April 11 at 11 a.m. at store’s the gaming tables. If you're interested in comics or graphic novels, we’d love to have you join us! Dan Brown has covered pop culture for more than 32 years as a journalist and also moderates L.A. Mood’s monthly graphic-novel group.
